Communications Service Historical Data

created by: Ricky D. Nichols, CS, #4120, DPS Sherman

Jump to: [1947] [1950] [1961] [1970] [1981] [1991] [2001] [2010]

1935

Bureau of Communications was created by the 44th Texas Legislature.
The documentation is: Acts 1935, 44th Legislature, page 444, Chapter 181, Section 1.

1. The director, with the advice and consent of the commission, shall appoint the chief of the bureau of communications.
2. The bureau of communications shall:
   1. Provide for the rapid exchange between law enforcement agencies of the state, counties, municipalities, other states, and the federal government of information concerning the commission of crimes and the detection of violators of the law; and
   2. establish and operate, in coordination with state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies, a state roads blockade system.
3. If funds are provided, the bureau of communications may install and operate a police radio broadcasting information concerning the activities and functions of the law enforcement agencies of the state, counties, and municipalities. The bureau shall cooperate with county and municipal police authorities and police radio stations in this state and other states.

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1937

Tele-typewriter machines were installed in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Tyler, Dallas and Amarillo (some at State owned facilities, others at Police Departments)

DPS RADIO STATION "KTXA" DPS Austin opened.

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1947
September

• Arlington (Dallas) DPS opened

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1949
September

• Tyler DPS opened
• Boerne DPS opened
• Harlingen DPS opened
• Cal-Allen (Corpus Christi) DPS opened
• Blue Ridge (Houston) DPS opened
• Lubbock DPS opened
• San Angelo DPS opened

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1950
January

• Abilene DPS opened

March

• Amarillo DPS opened
• Radio frequency changed from 1658AM to 42.900/42.740Mhz

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1951
November

• Midland DPS opened

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1952
March

• Lufkin DPS opened

October

• Carrizo Springs DPS opened

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1953

• Telecommunications service established to 12 DPS facilities utilizing model 19 (KSR 60wpm).

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1955
September

• Pecos DPS opened
• Waco DPS opened

November

• Wichita Falls DPS opened

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1956
January

• Edna DPS opened

May

• Beaumont DPS opened

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1957
September

• Reorganization of entire DPS Bureau of Communications became the Communications Service
• Regional Communications Supervisors were appointed

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1958
September

• Bryan DPS opened
• Dallas DPS opened (formally Arlington DPS)

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1959
September

• El Paso DPS opened

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1961
August

• San Antonio DPS opened (formally Boerne DPS)

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1963

• Telecommunications upgrade and installations of Model 28 ASR (100 wpm) was added to 19 DPS stations.

May

• Childress DPS opened

December

• Kerrville DPS opened
• Sherman DPS opened

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1964
August

• Victoria DPS opened (formally Edna DPS)

November

• Del Rio DPS opened

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1965
February

• Mineral Wells DPS opened

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1968

• Communications was transferred from the Communications Service to Traffic Law Enforcement Division.

May

• 1st RCS written/oral test was administered (Bryan L. Judd)

October

• Sulphur Springs DPS opened

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1970
September: Reclassification - Titles only

• Radio Operator to Police Communications Operator (PCO)
• Supervising Radio Operator (SRO) to Supervisor Police Communications Facility (SPCF)
• Regional Communications Supervisor (RCS) to Regional Supervisor Police Communications (RSCP)

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1971
January

• Lampasas DPS opened

February

• Ozona DPS opened

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1972

• Linda Davis - 1st female operator hired - Wichita Falls

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1972-1975

• 5th operator was authorized and added to all stations

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1973
April

• Pierce DPS opened

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1974-1975

• Telecommunications service was upgraded from 19 & 28 ASR terminals to AT&T Mod 40's and Racal Milgo ICC 40+ terminals.

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1975
July

• Texarkana DPS opened
• Radio frequency changed from 42.900/42.740 Mhz to 154.680 and 155.460 Mhz.

 

 

 

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1977
June

• Communications Service placed in uniform

October

• Laredo DPS opened

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1978
March

• Austin District Office DPS opened (formally Austin HQ)

October

• Fleet vehicles "Full time" status was removed from RSPC's and SPCF's

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1979
September

• McAllen DPS opened

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1981
January

• Brownwood DPS opened

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1982
January

• First female Supervisor Police Communications Facility (SPCF) - Loretta Peterson

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1985
September

• TLETS switcher was transferred from Personnel Staff Service Division (Communications) to Data Processing Division

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1987

• Telecommunications service was upgraded from Mod 40's/ICC 40+ to NCR system

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1989
November

• Fleet vehicles were reassigned to "Full time" status for RSPC's and SPCF's by Col. Joe Milner

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1991
September

• Communications Center Headquarters was transferred from Personnel Staff Services (Communications) to the Division of Emergency Management
• Communications Service reclassified by State Classification Board
  

  Position	Group
  	Old	New	Increase
  PCO I	9	11	2
  PCO II	10	12	2
  PCO III	11	13	2
  SPCF	14	15	1
  RSPC	16	17	1

October

• Texas City DPS opened

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1993
January

• First female Regional Supervisor - Holly Faison

September

• Austin Capitol District opened
• Communications Training Section was transferred from Division of Emergency Management to Data Processing Division

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1995
Fall

• Begin looking at replacement for NCR's

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1997
September

• Reclassification by State Legislature
  

  Position	Group
  	Old	New	Increase
  PCO I	11	12	1
  PCO II	12	13	1
  PCO III	13	14	1
  *Senior Operator	13	15	2
  SPCF	15	17	2
  RSPC	17	19	2

  *New position

Fall

• Begin issuing NEC computer equipment (200 MHz Pentium Pro) to replace NCR equipment. Larry Joseph, a private contractor, is designing software application.

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1999
February

• The Warrant Data Bank system was dumped at the mainframe and all warrants were returned to the Sergeants - This was done due to the old "NCR" system not being Y2K compatible.

May

• The Chief of TLE appointed a committee consisting of 2 RSPC's, 2 SPCF's, an Inspector, the Manager of Fleet Operations and 2 people from the radio shops to begin justification and specifications for new consoles for all Communications Facilities.

July

• A "restructuring" of the Communications Service resulted in a new position, Senior Operator, and all promotions are now based on 4 year increments.

August

• NCR system was "retired" and replaced with the NEC system

September

• A reclassification occurred in payroll titles for supervisors.
  • SPCF (working title) - Payroll title changed from Police Communications Supervisor I to Program Administrator I
  • RSPC (working title) - Payroll title changed from Police Communications Supervisor II to Program Administrator II

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2001
June

• Capitol District (TLE) "acquired" a portion of the Communications Center from Administrative Division

September

• A proposed "merge" between Tx DPS and Texas Parks & Wildlife Communications as required by the Texas Legislature
• Conroe DPS was approved and opened
• The purchase of new consoles were approved by the Texas Legislature

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2002
January

• First female Communications Inspector - Karen Duke

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2003
September

• Reorganization of TLE to THP. Commissioned personnel unified under one patch, Texas Highway Patrol. License & Weight service became THP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE), Safety Education and commissioned Vehicle Inspection absorbed into THP
• Creation of Region 7 (formally Capitol District)
• Creation of Region 8 - new region runs from Brownsville to Del Rio (created from portions of Region 3 & 4)

November

• New RSPC position - Region 7 (Todd Early)
• New RSPC position - Region 8 (Tommy Gonzalez)

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2004
March

• Begin "site specific" SPCF testing/interview - Promotions now announced & tested by individual sites, also eliminated the written portion of the exam thus making the promotional process oral interview boards only. Laredo was the first site and Corpus Christi was the second.
• Warrant Data Bank (WDB) system was discontinued by the Chief's office. All warrants were pulled from the system and sent back to their respective Sergeants.

December

• A second SPCF position was authorized for Region 7 at the Capitol (Gary Gilbert)

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2005

• RSPC Todd Early assigned to the Chief's office

October

• Equity Salary Adjustment given by the Department for Communications personnel

December

• Polygraph testing added to Hiring process
• Victoria DPS closed

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2006
January

• Communications operators taken out of the original "brown" uniform and issued a more "casual" uniform. Khaki shirts with dark blue pants and/or a denim shirt with khaki pants. RSPC's and SPCF's were allowed to retain original brown uniforms and issued additional casual uniforms. Clothing allowance taken away.

August

• Brownwood DPS closed

December

• SPCF position created and assigned to Chief's Office (Gabriella Brown)

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2007
January

• "Command One", a new 30 foot Communications Command Post trailer was delivered to Austin. The trailer contains JPS/ACU 1000, 4 Motorola XTL 2500 (2 VHF, 1 UHF, 1 700-800), 1 Motorola MCS 2000 (800 trunk radio), Tracstar Satellite Internet Service (Edgeacess VOIP telephone service with 2 incoming 800 numbers and 4 outgoing lines), 1 Globalstar satellite phone, Panasonic hybrid telephone system, 2 telex C-soft radio consoles, 4 CPU (CAD support), 2 independent networks, Wi-Fi, 50 ft pneumonic mast with CC TV, DVR, 46 inch flat panel with smart board overlay.

March

• The written portion/test for Supervisor, Police Communications reinstated in the promotional process.

August

• Written and/or oral boards for career progression (PCO II, III, etc) eliminated. Promotions now based on In-Line chain of command recommendations.
• Kerrville DPS closed

October

• Austin District Office Communications and the Capitol District Communications merge to create DPS Austin Communications.

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2008
June

• Austin Communications Facility transferred from Region VII to THP Headquarters, placed under the supervision of Todd M. Early, State Communications Coordinator.

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2009
January

• Bureau of Law Enforcement Communications and Technology (BLECT) created within the Texas Highway Patrol Division.   Title changes:
  • RSPC - New title: Communications Area Manager
  • SPCF - New title: Communications Supervisor

April

• Todd Early, Communications Coordinator promoted to newly created position of Director II, BLECT
• Karen Duke, Inspector II, selected as newly created position of Director I, State Communications Coordinator, BLECT

July

• A Departmental reclassification and a State mandated pay increase (HB 4586) added PCO V position and changing the career progression level to:
  • PCO I – Entry level
  • PCO I – pay adjustment after 1 year
  • PCO II – Promotion after 2 years service
  • PCO III – Promotion after 4 years service
  • PCO IV – Promotion after 7 years service
  • PCO V – Promotion after 10 years service
  • Senior PCO – Promotion after 16 years service

September

• Major reorganization occurs within the Department.
• Communications service is moved from Texas Highway Patrol Division to a newly created Law Enforcement Support Division (LESD).
• Mike Simpson is appointed as the new Assistant Director of the Division. The Law Enforcement Support Division consists of:
  • Crime Records
  • Technical Forensic Unit
  • Public Safety Communications
    • Radio Frequency Unit
    • Regional Communications
  • Law Enforcement Technology
  • Crime Laboratory
    • Regional Laboratories
    • Breath Alcohol Testing

October

• Thomas Gonzalez promoted to newly created position of Communications Emergency Operations Coordinator

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2010
February

• Todd Early promoted to newly created position of Deputy Assistant Director, Public Safety Communications Bureau
• Karen A Duke, promoted to newly created position of Deputy Administrator, Public Safety Communications Bureau

March

• Rita L Mooney promoted to newly created position of Program Coordinator, Public Safety Communications Bureau
• Sonya Y. Willis promoted to position of State Communications Coordinator, Public Safety Communications Bureau

August

• Gabriella McKittrick promoted to newly created position of Program Coordinator, Public Safety Communications Bureau

September

• Announcement made by LESD Assistant Director Mike Simpson to consolidate Communications facilities. Three (3) stations: Sulphur Springs, Lampasas and Conroe stations will be closing by 12-31-10. Seven (7) other stations: Sherman, Texas City, Beaumont, Ozona, San Angelo, Childress and Harlingen will be closing by attrition.

December

• Delivery of new 40ft, 5th wheel Emergency Communications Command Trailer; purchased with federal Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant.

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2011
January

• Lampasas Station closed
• Conroe Station closed
• Sulphur Springs Station closed
• Delivery of second new 40ft, 5th wheel Emergency Communications Command Trailer; purchased with federal Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant.

August

• Skylor Hearn promoted to Assistant Director, Law Enforcement Support Division.

September

• Harlingen and McAllen Stations merge and move to new Regional office in Weslaco. Station will maintain the radio call sign of the McAllen facility.

November

• Beaumont Station closed

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